Franklin County State’s Attorney Resigns Amid Impeachment Probe

Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie will resign amid an impeachment inquiry into complaints that he harassed and discriminated against female employees.

Lavoie will step down effective August 31, according to Gov. Phil Scott’s office, which accepted his resignation. The prosecutor did not immediately return an interview request from Seven Days.

Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), who chairs the impeachment committee, said the panel will meet on Friday to discuss the case. While much of the committee’s proceedings have been held behind closed doors, Friday’s meeting will be open to the public, LaLonde said.

A veteran prosecutor, Lavoie was first elected last November to an office primarily staffed by women. An internal investigation found he long used crass and sexist language in the workplace, in some cases referring to women as “whore” and “fucking slutbag” and mocking an attorney with a physical disability.

The report said Lavoie once stuffed an employee’s ID into the top of her dress and pinched a female employee to suggest she was overweight.

Lavoie has acknowledged that his sense of humor is “often inappropriate” but denied ever inappropriately touching his staff. He charged that their complaints were politically motivated and refused previous calls to resign.

Meantime, another Franklin County official who is facing impeachment remains in office. John Grismore, the county sheriff, was charged with simple assault after he kicked a shackled suspect in the groin during an arrest last summer. He was elected to the post last November even after video of the incident surfaced.

The impeachment committee has hired the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin to investigate Grismore. A final report is expected this fall, LaLonde said.

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